SEMI-FICTIONAL CHRONICLE of the EVIL THAT INFECTS WASHINGTON, D.C.
To read Prologue and Character Guide, please see www.washingtonhorrorblog.com, updated 6/6//2017.
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Sunday, February 02, 2014

Super

A very jetlegged Liv Cigemeier, with an encouraging nudge from her husband, headed towards a female cluster at the Superbowl party being hosted by former Senator Evermore Breadman, while her husband made a beeline for Charles Wu.

"So how did the rest of your trip go?" asked Cigemeier, who had flown back commercially from Asia days before his wife returned with Wu on a private charter.

"Excellent! I trust you found your time at Prince and Prowling's Beijing office fruitful?"

"Excessively fruitful," said Cigemeier. "I learned a great deal about doing business in China."

"I'm so glad to hear it!" replied Wu.

"I learned, for instance, that our client got a government contract after you met privately with a government minister."

"That's true--lobbying is just as important in Beijing as it is D.C."

"I met with that government minister, myself, and he seemed to be under the impression that I had additional information to pass along to him. I thought at first he was looking for a bribe, but then it became very clear what he was looking for."

Wu drained his cocktail carefully before speaking. "We're all in the business of information management and client services, aren't we?"

Cigemeier said nothing. For one thing, he was still uncertain whether espionage was merely something Wu did on the side, or if it was more than that. He kept staring at Wu.

"I can see you're uncomfortable with what you learned," Wu said at last. "I think I know how to make you more comfortable with it."

Over in Liv's new female cluster, the ladies were admiring Bridezilla's diamond earrings. "These are vintage 1920s, from New Orleans!" (They were actually vintage 1950s, from New York City.) "Buddy Lee comes from a very wealthy old family in Alabama." (His father was a used car salesman in Mississippi.) "He just keeps giving me these precious family jewels every excuse he gets!" (She had actually purchased them herself, at an estate auction in Maryland, after selling her Rolex to generate financing for the gifts she felt people should perceive her fiance was giving her.) "I am the luckiest girl in Virginia!"

"It's a shame we can't certify the older diamonds as ethically mined," said Liv, who had just spent the better part of a week touring post-typhoon rebuilding projects in the Philippines. She flashed a saccharin smile at Bridezilla, hoping to kill the Marie Antoinette party conversation once and for all.

Several miles to the east, lifestyle guru Giuliana Sunstream was also hosting a Super Bowl Party (for $150 admission price). The guests had all arrived, the food was exquisite, the widescreen plasma was fired up, and the Seattle/Denver hybrid cedar/sage aromatherapy was in place. But something was wrong: Sunstream was standing on the balcony staring at the setting sun and scratching a sudden rash under her new Rolex. She was sure she could see the injured snowy owl flying off into the sunset. "Fly, darling, fly!" she whispered. "The snowy kingdom to the North awaits you!" Her toy Maltese, "Vegas", looked up at her in bewilderment.

Out in the river, Ardua of the Potomac was also enjoying the sunset--because she loved the coming darkness. Tonight she would complete her possession of the trusted one, and Angela de la Paz would never see it coming.